Waler-attachment bracket



June 22, 1965 c. l- WILLlAMS 3,190,601

WALER-ATTACHMENT BRACKET Original, Fil'ed Jan. 9. 1961 a Sheets-Sheet 1 mm Chesfer Wi/fiams Affomey June 22, 1965 c. WILLIAMS WALER-A'ITACHMENT BRACKET Original Filed Jan. 9. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Chesfer W/7/iams A) orney United States Patent Ofi ice hlddhhl Patented June 22, 19%5 3,199,601 WALER-A'ITACHh IENT BRACKET Chester I. Wiiliams, 347 Greenhriar SE, Grand Rapids, Mich. Continuation of application Ser. No. 81,462, Jan. 9, 1%1. This application Mar. 27, 1%3, Ser. No. 268,434 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-221) This invention is associated with forms used in pouring concrete, and particularly relates to securing walers to the studs of an otherwise conventional form structure. The function of the form is to confine the concrete as it is poured and hold it in place until it sets. According to conventional practice the form sections include a panel of plywood or planking, and a group of parallel stiiieners referred to commonly as studs. T o collect the distributed loading from the studs and transfer it over to securing points, a group of beams referred to as walers are arranged normally in pairs transversely to the studs, with sufficient space between them to receive a heavy bolt (shebolt) intersecting the panel and engaging an anchor embedded in the concrete. It is desirable to secure the walers to the studs and remove them with a minimum of effort, and it is also desirable to minimize any permanent projection from the studs which might interfere with stacking the form sections one on the other when not in use.

The present invention provides a bracket having a mounting portion to be secured to the side of a stud. Preferably, a pair of cantilever arms extend from the mounting portion, and normally assume a horizontal position perpendicular to the plane of the form panel. When the walers are arranged horizontally, the lower of the pair is placed upon the lower of the projecting cantilever arms. There will normally be just suflicient space between the two arms to receive this waler. The upper waler of the pair is placed on top of the upper arm, with that arm establishing a spaced relationship between the walers which is sufiicient to receive the shebolt. The walers are locked in position by the action of a wedge which is slidably and pivotally mounted at the outer extremity of the upper arm.

The several features of the invention will be analyzed in further detail through a discussion of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of a concrete form, showing a pair of walers attached to the form with a support bracket assembly.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a section on an enlarged scale on the plane 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a folded position of the bracket assembly shown in FIGURES l and 2.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a preliminary position of the wedge during the installation of the walers on the bracket.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 7 presents a perspective view on' an enlarged scale of the supporting portion of the bracket assembly.

Referring to FIGURES 1 through 5, a concrete form is indicated generally at 20, and includes the panel structure 2d and the stiffening studs 22. The panel may be of plywood, planking, or some equivalent structure; and the studs 22 will vary in dimensions with the size of the form unit. The studs are normally parallel, and transfer the distributed pressure on the panel over to the walers 23 and 24 which carry the loading (according to conventional practice) to the securing points which hold the form in position. These securing points are normally anchors embedded in the concrete, which are engaged by heavy shebolts received between the parallel walers 2 3 and 24. Conventional terminal mechanism (not shown) straddles the paired walers and engages the shebolt.

It is desirable to secure the walers 23 and 24 with respect to the studs 22 with a minimum of: effort, and it is also desirable that the walers be readily removed during salvage or replacement operations. The device for accomplishing this connection is the bracket assembly indicated generally at 25. The preferred form of this device includes a plate of sheet steel which provides a base portion 26 having suitable holes 274 and 28a for receiving the nails 27 and 28 installed in the studding 22. Preferably, these nails are of the double-head design for facilitating the withdrawal of the nails in salvage operations. The plate also provides the parallel cantilever arms 29 and 30 which normally extend in a direction perpendicular to the panel 21, and support of the walers 23 and 24, respectively. The thickness of the arm 29 is sufiicient to assure enough space between the walers 23 and 24 to receive the series of shebolts engaged by the walers. To facilitate the proper placement of the nails 27 and 28, a pair of bent ears 31 and 32 are formed in position such that the device may be held with the ears 31 and 2 securely against the edge 33 of the studding, which will assure the proper location of the nails 27 and 28 with respect to the panel 21.

The installation of the lower waler is illustrated best in FIGURE 5. With the locking wedge 34- in the illustrated position, the waler 24 is easily slipped in place. The back of the U-shaped cross-section of the wedge engages the arm 29 as shown in FIGURE 5 to act as a stop to place the wedge in position as an extension of the arm 29. The upper waler 23 is also readily positioned as shown in FIGURE 1, after which the locking wedge 34 may be swung clockwise approximately degrees and driven downward into the FIGURE 1 position. The locking wedge 34 is substantially U-shaped in cross-section, and is provided with the slots 35 on both sides for receiving the rivet 36 secured to the upper arm 29 at the hole 36a. The slant of the slot 35 with respect to the edges 37 of the wedge will result in a force being applied tending to drive the walers 23 and 24 solidly to the right against the edge 33 of the studding. The total force generated at the rivet 36 by the wedge action is divided into two components, one of these being associated with the reaction at the waler 23, and the other at the waler 24. The total force on the wedge is balanced with the rivet 36 acting as a fulcrum.

Referring to FIGURE 4, it may become desirable to move the bracket assembly to a folded position which minimizes the projection beyond the plane of the edge 33 of the studding to facilitate storage or salvage operations. The nail 2% may be pulled from the hole 23a in the plate 26, permitting the unit to be rotated clockwise about the remaining nail 27. To accomplish this, the device must first be bent sufficiently, preferably against resilience of the plate, to disengage the ears 3i and 32 from the edge 33 of the studding. Where the folding operation is critical, the device may be varied in its proportions to minimize or eliminate any projections beyond the plane of the edges 33.

Referring to FIGURE 6, a modified form of the invention illustrates the use of an extension 3% of the plate 39 for the purpose of providing a solid stop against which the forces of the locking wedge 40 applied through the upper waler 41 can be resisted without applying the locking forces to the nail 42. The nails 42 and 43 en gage the studding 44 secured to the panel 45 as in the form construction previously described. The upper and lower cantilever arms 46 and 47, respectively, are similar in function and shape to the arms 2? and 30. In

the FIGURE 6 modification, all of the locking forces in excess of those which are required to hold the walers 41 and 48 against the edges 49 of the studding are confined within the bracket itself. Any excess therefore does not have a tendency to overload the nail 42.

This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 81,462, filed on January 9, 1961, and abandoned subsequently to the filing of the present application.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire invention disclosed herein, except as I am limited by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A bracket for securing walers to stud means, said bracket comprising: a plate portion having at least one aperture for receiving a fastening engaging said stud means, said plate portion having at least one lateral projection engageable with the edge of said stud means to position said plate portion for application of a fastening in said aperture, and said plate portion having spaced arm portions extending in cantilever relationship, each adapted to receive a waler; wedge means having a U- shaped cross-section providing open and closed edges respectively and embracing one of said arm portions, said wedge means having a closed elongated slot disposed at an incline with respect to one of said edges; and a transverse member extending into said slot and permanently interconnecting said arm portion and said wedge means, said wedge means being slidable thereon and having an extreme position parallel to said arm portion in which said closed edge abuts an edge of said one of said arm portions to support said wedge, and a position substantially perpendicular thereto for holding walers against said stud means.

2. A bracket for securing walers to stud means, said bracket comprising: a plate having at least one aperture for receiving a fastening engaging said stud means, said plate having spaced arm portions extending in cantilever relationship, each adapted to receive a waler; wedge means having a U-shaped cross-section providing open and closed edges respectively and embracing one of said arm portions, said wedge means having a closed elongated slot disposed at an incline with respect to one of said edges; and a transverse member extending into said slot and permanently interconnecting said arm portion and said wedge means, said wedge means being slidable thereon and having an extreme position parallel to said arm portion in which said closed edge abuts an edge of said one of said arm portions to support said wedge, and a position substantially perpendicular thereto for holding walers against said stud means.

3. A bracket for securing walers to stud means; said bracket comprising: a plate having at least one aperture for receiving a fastening engaging said stud means, said plate having spaced arm portions extending in cantilever relationship, each adapted to support a waler; and wedge means having a longitudinal edge slidably, pivotally, and permanently secured to one of said arm portions normally interposed between two walers, said wedge means having a closed elongated slot disposed at an incline with respect to said edge; a pin secured to said one of said arm portions and extending into said slot and interconnecting said wedge means and arm portion, said wedge means being adapted to bridge across between walers supported by said arms; and stop means on said wedge means engageable with said arm portion to limit the rotation of said wedge means with respect to said arm portion at an extended position of said wedge means providing a continuation of said arm portion and in substantial alignment therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 187,884 5/60 Hillberg 25131 2,406,078 8/46 Hushover 248221 X 2,819,863 1/58 Vines 248247 2,876,813 3/59 Jennings a- 25-l31 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

2. A BRACKET FOR SECURING WALERS TO STUD MEANS, SAID BRACKET COMPRISING: A PLATE HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE FOR RECEIVING A FASTENING ENGAGING SAID STUD MEANS, SAID PLATE HAVING SPACED ARM PORTIONS EXTENDING IN CANTILEVER RELATIONSHIP, EACH ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A WALER; WEDGE MEANS HAVING U-SHAPED CROSS-SECTION PROVIDING OPEN AND CLOSED EDGES RESPECTIVELY AND EMBRACING ONE OF SAID ARM PORTIONS, SAID WEDGE MEANS HAVING A CLOSED ELONGATED SLOT DISPOSED AT AN INCLINE WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF SAID EDGES; AND A TRANSVERSE MEMBER EXTENDING INTO SAID SLOT AND PERMANENTLY INTERCONNECTING SAID ARM PORTION AND SAID WEDGE MEANS, SAID WEDGE MEANS BEING SLIDABLE THERE- 